The Siliguri Metropolitan Police will launch a mobile app for pandal-hoppers in and around Siliguri ahead of Durga Puja this year.

The decision was made at a preparatory meeting that senior police officers held on Tuesday with Puja organisers of the city.

Sources said 280 Pujas in all are held in the civic area while close to 400 Pujas are organised in the Siliguri Metropolitan Police area every year.

According to police sources, any smartphone user who intends to visit the Durga Puja pandals can install this app in to obtain detailed information on the location of pandals, traffic and its curbs in different parts of the city, locations of police assistance booths and the nearest healthcare unit.

“The app will also enable a user to call up the police control room in case of an emergency. Also, a host of other information will be there in the app to confirm that people enjoy festive days in a hassle-free manner,” said Gaurav Sharma, the commissioner of Siliguri Metropolitan Police.

“We will engage drones for aerial vigilance. This would help us to know about the movement of traffic and crowd and can also help us to intervene in case of any need,” said a police officer.

In all, police will run 18 police assistance booths in different strategic locations of its area that covers a major part of Siliguri subdivision and some contiguous parts of the Jalpaiguri district.

During Durga Puja days, additional forces will be deployed in various places of Siliguri, including key crossings and near prominent Pujas.

Along with the police, the civic authorities also held a meeting with different departments on Tuesday to discuss preparations for Durga Puja.

Gautam Deb, chairman of the board of administrators of Siliguri Municipal Corporation, spoke with department officials to ensure no disruption in basic civic services are made during Puja days.

“Immersion of idols will be allowed from October 15 to 17. Organisers can collect permission from the civic body till October 4,” said De.

“According to the decision of the state government, permission will not be granted to any new Durga Puja this year. In due course, Covid 19 protocols will also be circulated among Puja committees,” said a civic official.